Photoshop Signature Tutorial #1

A Photoshop Tutorial on How to Create a Certain Signature

Hi,
I am going to show you how to create a certain signature I made for a friend of mine that goes by Remorse. It’s not that super amazing or highly detailed so this tutorial is targeted mainly for basic designers or beginners.

First, you need to open up Photoshop and create a 400×120 canvas (pixels). Once you do that, find a picture either on your computer or online that you want to use and bring that picture onto your canvas. Make sure your picture is bigger than the canvas itself so it’ll fill it up. You also want to grab a picture that has motion in it but at the same time, it is not too chaotic. I used this picture (resized and rescaled).http://imgur.com/xJqC7.png

Second, you need to go look for another picture but this time to add texture or effects to it. It doesn’t have to be chaotic and everywhere, it can be settled and calm. Remember it does need fit well with the picture or stock image you are using for this tutorial. I’m using the texture below (resized and rescaled) and played with the opacity a bit to my liking (40%) and changed the layer option to color burn. You can use a different layer option if you wish. Just make sure you are satisfied with it.http://imgur.com/C2Wac.png

Third, I created a new layer and went to Image near the top and then clicked Apply Image and Ok. Now go back to Image and click Canvas size and change it to 800 x 240. We are basically doubling the canvas size to create our lighting source. Once you do that, go to Filter then Render then Lens Flare and a pop up will come up. Change it to 105mm Prime and move the lighting source to wherever your lighting source in the image you are using is coming from. So like for mine, the lighting source will be at the top so I moved the lighting source all the way at the top and clicked ok. I then dropped the opacity down to 48% and readjusted my canvas size back to 400×120. This is how my signature looks like right now.http://imgur.com/x5meF.png

Fourth, we are going to add two new adjustment layers so go to Layer up top and then find New Adjustment Layer and click Gradient Map. You want it to go Black to White so make sure yours does and then go to layer option and click Luminosity. After that go back to New Adjustment Layer and click Photo Filter. I used a warming filter (85) with default settings but you can use another filter if you wish. Remember this is your signature after all. And the image below is what I have so far.http://imgur.com/VxU8i.png

Fifth, I applied the image once again and used the burn tool to make the darker spots in my signature a bit darker. And I used the sponge tool with saturation to bring my focal or the main part of the image out and desaturated the rest. I used a soft brush for both tools. And this is what I have so far.http://imgur.com/aUmuC.png

Sixth, I decided I wanted to add one more effect to the signature so I went on to look for an effect and moved it into my canvas. I played with the layer option and opacity and decided to go with the screen as the layer option with a 20% opacity and here is how my signature looks like right now.http://imgur.com/w2tyB.png

Seventh, now you add your text. Just be creative with it and keep it close to your focal. I used Scriptina on the R and Calibri on “remorse” text. Then erase some of it that are overlapping your focal to make it blend in with the signature. Here is how it looks like now.http://imgur.com/81Eki.png

Eighth, I applied a new adjustment layer (Gradient Map) and selected a dark green color from the focal to white. You can use a different color if you wish. But you want to choose a color from mid to dark. Then changed it the layer option to Luminosity and my signature looks like this.http://imgur.com/dD4Ww.png

Ninth, I applied another new adjustment layer (Curves) and made the line curve twice. Here is how my curves look like.http://imgur.com/RTe7O.png